IGNcube's Nintendo "Revolution" FAQ

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Absolutely everything we currently know about the successor to Nintendo's GameCube home console.

By Matt Casamassina

Editor's Note: This FAQ was last updated with information in 2005. Some of the information is outdated, but we're keeping it around for posterity's sake. For the latest about the Nintendo Wii console, check our Nintendo Wii FAQ here

Nintendo's GameCube console is far from dead, but that hasn't stopped the company from announcing that it is underway with a next-generation successor, codenamed "Revolution." The system has been given an appropriate codename if Nintendo is to be believed: the publisher says that the console will revolutionize the way people play games. No easy challenge, but if any company can do it, Nintendo can.

Since it was revealed more than a year ago, a wealth of information on Nintendo's Revolution has surfaced -- and there's still much more to come.

To help keep readers informed about any and all developments surrounding the Nintendo Revolution, IGNcube has created the end-all FAQ for the console. The following information represents everything we currently know about the machine. And as readers will see, there's already quite a lot to know.

Q: What is the Nintendo Revolution?

A: The official codename for the successor to GameCube.

Q: Is 'Revolution' the final name of Nintendo's new console?

A: No. Nintendo confirmed at E3 2005 that the title 'Revolution' is a codename. A final name for the new console has not yet been selected. It should be noted, however, that the company said the same thing of Nintendo DS, which ultimately proved to be the handheld's official name.

Q: When was the Nintendo Revolution codename announced?

A:: On May 11, 2004 at Nintendo's pre-Electronics Entertainment Expo 2004 press conference, which took place in Los Angeles, California. (The console had been tentatively referred to as "GCNext" by press before the unveiling of the official codename.)

"Different also defines our approach to our next home system. It won't simply be new or include new technologies. Better technology is good, but not enough. Today's consoles already offer fairly realistic expressions so simply beefing up the graphics will not let most of us see a difference. So what should a new machine do? Much more. An unprecedented gameplay experience. Something no other machine has delivered before.

"The definition for a new machine must be different. I want you to know that Nintendo is working on our next system and that system will create a gaming revolution. Internal development is underway.

<a href= "I could give you our technical specs, as I'd know you'd like that, but I won't for a simple reason: they really don't matter. The time when horsepower alone made all the difference is over.

"Work on Revolution is well underway. When you see it you will be excited because you will experience a gaming revolution."

Q: How long has the Revolution been in development?

A: Preliminary development on Revolution began shortly after the release of Nintendo GameCube.

In March 2005, both IBM and ATI confirmed that they have been making the CPU and GPU for Revolution respectively.

In April 2005, MoSys, which supplied RAM for GameCube, announced that it would also be providing the memory solution for Revolution.

At E3 2005, Nintendo said that with Revolution it is aiming to make a "small, quiet and affordable console." It stressed this point and avoided direct questions about technical specifications. Nintendo executives also stated that the company is not interested in engaging in a technical battle with competitors Sony and Microsoft.

In an interview with IGNcube, Nintendo's Shigeru Miyamoto offered further insight:

"You know, in regard to the power of the Nintendo Revolution versus, say, the Xbox 360, we're looking at making a small, quiet, affordable console," he said. "If you look at trying to incorporate all that, of course we might not have the horsepower that some other companies have, but if you look at the numbers that they're throwing out, are those numbers going to be used in-game? I mean, those are just numbers that somebody just crunched up on a calculator. We could throw out a bunch of numbers, too, but what we're going to do is wait until our chips are done and we're going to find out how everything in the game is running, what its peak performance is, and those are the numbers that we're going to release because those are the numbers that really count."

In an interview with the Seattle Post Intelligencer, Nintendo president Satoru Iwata elaborated on the company's philosophy where next-generation technology is concerned:

Nintendo Revolution. Click to enlarge "Sony and Microsoft are taking about the same approach for the future by making machines with powerful and sophisticated technology. Nintendo is taking a little bit different approach, and I think this is an interesting contrast," Iwata said. "Of course, we are applying advances in technology. But when you use those advances just to boost the processing power, the trade-off is that you increase power consumption, make the machine more expensive and make developing games more expensive. When I look at the balance of that trade-off -- what you gain and what you lose -- I don't think it's good. Nintendo is applying the benefits of advanced technology, but we're using it to make our machines more power-efficient, quieter and faster to start. And we're making a brand-new user interface. I think that way of thinking is the biggest difference."

Reports from development studios seem to second these statements. Software houses in the know have suggested that Revolution will not be as powerful as Xbox 360 or PlayStation 3.

Nintendo has revealed that Revolution will be backward compatible with GameCube, play both GCN discs and proprietary new 12cm discs, go online via Wi-Fi connections, be able to download software from the Internet, use 512MB flash memory to save data, and feature wireless controllers. In addition, the console will boast two USB 2.0 ports.